i never thought my life would end up quite this way
by xIrelandx
Summary: Trucy bit her lip as she watched him read, hoping Apollo wouldn't read too much into the little slip of paper he had captured between his her immense relief, Apollo only groaned. "'Operation Just Wright? I don't even want to know what you're doing, Trucy – any interest I had was alleviated by that pun." Phoenix/Apollo.
1. Chapter 1

When Trucy was younger, she was pretty adamant about Phoenix getting her a mommy. He was a great father, but he was a guy. She needed someone to whom she could relate, someone who could guide her through puberty. Really, there was only so much her daddy could do for her. But years came and went, and Trucy began to grow up and it wasn't, despite her worst fears, the end of the world. Phoenix was awkward about some things, like makeup and periods and birth control pills, but he tried, and that was what mattered.

(Tried a little too hard in some cases – he'd been trying to figure out how feminine hygiene products work so he could explain it to her, and found himself panicking about toxic shock syndrome. He had nightmares for a week.)

Now that Trucy was older and wiser – fifteen, to be exact – her desire for Phoenix to get a date was more for his benefit than for hers. True though it was that he had his poker ring and still occasionally got together with one or two friends from his life before becoming a parent, her daddy's social life was a little sad. She couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't the problem.

"You know, daddy," she started one day, folding laundry on her bed, "if you want to go out with some friends – I won't mind. I'll be fine on my own! Promise!"

Phoenix smiled wryly. "Oh? You trying to get me out of the house so you can throw a wild party?"

Trucy huffed, dropping her shirt in favor of placing her hands on her hips. "That's not it at all, daddy! It's just…" she retrieved her shirt from the floor, trying to figure out how to say what came next. Her father hadn't moved an inch. "You seem so lonely sometimes. Don't you ever want to get out there, meet new people?"

Phoenix was smiling sadly at the laundry as he picked back up folding. "I'll get to it Trucy, I promise." She didn't believe him, and vowed to herself that if her father hadn't found a girl by the end of the month, she'd do a little matchmaking of her own.

And as it turned out, she didn't have to. Her daddy had been busy recently, preparing papers as if for a court case of some sort. He didn't tell her all of the details, only that he'd need her help. She understood; he often did need her help when it came to his poker streak. But that wasn't it – he was the one on trial. What for, he wouldn't tell her. Only that she needed to show up in the lobby and hand a painted card to an attorney.

"His name's Apollo." There was something about the way he said it – she couldn't quite describe it – that made her look up from the card she'd been inspecting. She couldn't see his face, but she'd be willing to bet he was smiling.

He didn't offer her time to reply and ask, pulling his hoodie on and zipping it up before giving her a quick hug and a short goodbye. She didn't see him again until after the trial was over, and that nasty attorney Kristoph Gavin was behind bars for the murder he said her daddy committed. Her father's cheek was bruised, but he was happier than she'd seen him in a long time.

"You're awful happy to be off the hook there, daddy," she commented. She took a quick glance behind them – people's reactions to her daddy were always interesting to watch, but one in particular held her attention. The red-clad attorney she'd been instructed to give the card to, Apollo, seemed to have his gaze transfixed on her father. His fingers at his side, where they were balled into fists, were twitching.

"Hm?" Phoenix asked. "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure. But isn't everybody happy to be found not guilty?"

"Hmmm," she tapped her chin. "Yeah, but you seem like…you had _fun_."

He laughed, but seemed uneasy about it. She watched her father's cheeks color up a bit. "Fun? Now Trucy, why would I be having fun when I've been accused of murder?"

Trucy didn't reply, and she didn't ask about Apollo or why he was staring at them with such intensity, and she definitely didn't want to know about the bruised cheek or the painted card. She had a feeling she wouldn't like the answer.

Over the next few weeks, she kept expecting Apollo to just turn up out of the blue. She'd had the scenario all planned out in her head, like some sort of romantic drama. It was ridiculous – she didn't even know if her father liked boys – or Apollo, for that matter. Only that Phoenix seemed to do a lot of checking – checking outside the window, checking the mail, checking his inbox, checking his phone messages. If he wasn't waiting for Apollo – well, really, who else could he be waiting for?

Eventually, Apollo did show up, cautious as the day they left him at the courthouse. He had a nervous energy about him, and Trucy had every intention of whipping him into shape. Somebody had to. She watched the way he interacted with her daddy, like a sort of broken hero-worship. She felt bad, watching Apollo's faith in her daddy fall to pieces as he did everything in his power (or so it seemed) to make Apollo hate him.

For what it was worth, it didn't seem to be working. Apollo was frustrated at best, but she'd hardly say that he hated her daddy. Nonetheless, Trucy sighed to herself at Apollo's attitude and her father's self-destructive behavior. In terms of eligible suitors, it would appear that Apollo was firmly off the list.

* * *

"When was the last time you ate anything?" Trucy was practically salivating, and all he was making was grilled cheese. There wasn't a lot in the way of groceries at the Wright household, but Apollo managed to make the most out of what little they did have.

_He'd make a good mommy_, Trucy's mind insisted. She slapped her forehead to shoo the stupid thoughts away.

"Are you okay?" Apollo asked. He'd set a plate down in front of her, and a glass of milk. Trucy frowned at the milk – she knew for a fact that they didn't have any milk in the fridge the day before. Apollo must have bought some. "You're not getting a headache, are you?"

Trucy looked up and saw Apollo looking at her with actual worry. "No!" she chirped. "I'm fine, just sorta –" she knocked her head slightly, "Lost in thought, you know?"

"Okay, good," he allowed himself a small smile. "But if you do start to feel bad, let me know." He picked at the crust around his sandwich. "You know… Trucy, I… really do appreciate your help. But you don't have to help me. If you'd rather, I dunno, hang out with friends. Or something."

"It's okay, Polly!" Trucy's feet kicked against the linoleum, trying to think of a way to lighten up the conversation. "So, what do your parents do? Are they lawyers, too?"

Apollo set his sandwich down, wiping his hands on the paper towel he was using in place of a napkin. He avoided Trucy's eyes as he admitted, "I don't have parents. Or any family, actually."

Trucy covered her mouth, ashamed of her misstep. "Apollo – I'm so sorry – I didn't –"

"It's okay," Apollo waved his hand. "It's not like you knew. Besides, I'm over it. I'm fine!" He gave her a smile that wasn't altogether reassuring, but Trucy backed down anyway.

She couldn't help but ruminate on this new piece of information. Apollo's worry, his protectiveness, his acceptance of employment despite whatever Phoenix did to tick him off, his refusal to leave no matter how cryptic or annoying her father got – Trucy had to wonder if this was all Apollo's way of forming a family. If it was, then he probably didn't know what he was doing, and Trucy had a feeling that suggesting as much to him would cause him undue embarrassment. So, storing thoughts away in her head, Trucy hurried on to her next question: "What about friends? I'm sure you've got plenty of those!"

Apollo laughed sarcastically. "I'm not, as you might have noticed, extremely sociable. But yes, I do have one close friend…Clay…" Apollo stared off into the empty space beside him. "I wonder how he's doing, now…"

"You mean you don't keep in touch with him?" Trucy's matchmaking mind was quickly flipping through the people they both knew, ones who could potentially serve as a friend for Apollo. Klavier, Ema, Wocky… "Why not?"

"Hm?" Apollo seemed to have been lost in thought. "Oh, no! No, it's not like that. It's just – we're both very busy. He's training to become an astronaut." Apollo smiled, a bizarre half-grin that Trucy didn't know how to trust. It was like the one her dad always wore, part playful and part sad. "That's been his dream since we were kids."

An obscure thought popped into Trucy's mind and came flying, at a speed of at least eighty-five miles an hour, out of her mouth. "Are you in love with him?"

Apollo spluttered, but didn't quite choke on his food. From where she sat, Trucy could see his bracelet tighten. He didn't much like it, but she knew she was onto something.

"What?" he asked. "N-No!" He was blushing, nervously pushing his hair down. "Wh-what would even make you think something like that, Trucy?"

Trucy abandoned the crumbs of Snakoos that littered her plate, resting her head on her hands and leaning forward. "I bet he's dreamy, isn't he, Polly?" He was flustered now, closing in on himself. She felt like a cat or some other sort of predator, closing in on caged-in prey. "Tell me, tell me! What does he look like?"

She was surprised when Apollo didn't tell her to mind her own business. But then, if Clay was his only friend and he didn't have family, she guess she was the only one he could talk to. "Well, he's – uhm, he's a bit taller than me, a-and, he's got, well, black hair. It's – it's kind of messy, he doesn't really take time to fix it. And, uh, dark eyes." He was squirming in his seat, like he was anticipating getting in trouble. "Oh. And, ah, he wears the color blue. A lot."

"So does that mean you have a type?" Trucy demanded. If she hadn't been so focused on the task at hand, she might have cared about the effect her intensity was having on poor Apollo. Instead, she only wanted an answer to the question: did Apollo go for taller boys with dark hair and eyes and an affinity for blue?

"Trucy? Apollo?"

"Dammit!" Trucy hissed, fists slamming on the table.

"Mr. Wright!" Apollo yelped, shooting up from his seat. His oddly strained voice wasn't enough to cover Trucy's slip-up, and Phoenix frowned at his daughter.

"Watch your mouth, young lady," he warned, and Trucy nodded.

"You just interrupted a little game of ours, that's all, daddy," Trucy lied. Apollo narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't challenge her statement.

"Oh," Phoenix replied in a bored tone. "What game?"

"Truth or truth?" If she'd been standing, Trucy might have put her hands behind her back and bounced from heel to toe. Instead, her anxious fingers sat in her lap, thumbs fighting against one another to retain excitement.

"Well," Phoenix said with an odd smile. "With choices like that, I guess I'd have to choose truth. Don't you think, Polly?"

Apollo nodded dimly. He'd sat back down by this point, arms crossed. He'd looked about ready to say something – probably about how he should be getting home because the sky was turning dark – when Trucy interrupted him. "All right daddy, truth it is: Do you like boys?"

She thought Apollo was going pass out, the color drained out of his face so quickly. She'd have to remember to ask him what that was all about once they were alone. Her concentration went back to her daddy, who looked rather unamused.

"Don't you have homework to do?"

"Yeah –" Apollo started, but Trucy cut him off.

"Come on, daddy," she begged. "You promised!" He didn't really, but he didn't stand much of a chance against Trucy's glorious pout. Apollo held back too, looking uncertain.

Phoenix sighed, one hand coming up to his hat, slipping it farther into his eyes. "Okay, Trucy. I suppose you're old enough now, and there's no reason to hide it… yes, Trucy," he said softly, his eyes still obscured. "I like guys."

Trucy glanced at Apollo with bated breath, but he wouldn't meet her gaze. He wasn't looking at Mr. Wright, either, but rather at a spot on the table. Trucy had to admit it: she was disappointed. She thought for sure Apollo would have some sort of big reaction to that admission. It seemed only natural in her head, her daddy's conscience now cleared.

Maybe she should ask Apollo the same question?

"I… I didn't think…" There was something tight in the way Apollo held his shoulders. "Is it…okay? To be out about that sort of thing?" Apollo still wouldn't look at either of the Wrights, his determination to avoid them more belligerent now that the corners of his eyes threatened to break.

Trucy didn't see it coming – she'd intended to comfort Apollo herself. But before she could even move from her spot at the table, she saw her father bending down enough to wrap his arms around Apollo. The young attorney still wasn't crying outright, but his shoulders were shaking. Trucy crept around the chair, trying to find a way to lend a comforting hand. From her new vantage point, she could see her father's hands rubbing up and down their friend's back. His head was resting on Apollo's shoulder, and she watched as Apollo tentatively reached out to take hold of her father's jacket.

Before she could envelope Polly in her own awkward side-hug, she heard her father whisper, "It's okay, kid. No one's gonna leave you anymore. We're not gonna leave you."

Maybe, until things got more stable, Trucy thought, she should just focus on making Apollo part of their family.

* * *

'More stable' turned out to be about a year later. It also turned out to not exactly be more stable, in terms of emotions or standings or money. 'More stable' came more to mean 'Trucy got tired of waiting.'

"I'm sorry, Trucy, but I am not talking to you father at the moment." Apollo had decided to take refuge in the public library, angrily jerking books from their places on the shelves, flipping through them without paying much attention, and jamming them back incoherently. He was still red in the face from his blow-up, and although Trucy couldn't blame him she was running out of patience.

"He's said he's sorry," she frowned, leaning against the shelves with crossed arms. "But she told him not to let us know. What was he supposed to do?"

Apollo slammed close his fifth book in a row, thumb and forefinger massaging his forehead. "I don't know. But aren't you even a little bit angry?"

Trucy shook her head. "Not really. I don't understand what you're getting all worked up about –"

"Maybe because you always had a family," he snapped. Trucy felt her stomach drop, having nearly forgotten that part of (her half-brother, that was never going to stop being weird,) Apollo's backstory. "My best friend just died, was apparently murdered by a spy who's been conning us all for months, accused someone innocent of murder, almost had them convicted, and I almost lost my job. The absolute last thing I needed was this."

"But Polly, this means that you do have family," she pointed out. She grabbed the scattered case documents from the table Apollo had spread out on, organizing them for him. "You have me."

Apollo didn't look up at first, trying to fight down the guilt he felt at his own over-reaction. "I know, Truce."

Trucy watched as he swallowed hard and tried to calm himself down. A thought occurred to her. "You were the one who hit him, right?" Apollo blinked, eyes narrowing in confusion. "About a year ago, when I gave you that card –"

"Please, Trucy, unless you're looking for me to outright kill your father, don't remind me –"

"You hit him. You punched him."

Apollo turned his face so she couldn't see his smile. He hated to admit how good it felt to do that – not something he'd get off on, but freeing nonetheless. "Yes. He gave me forged evidence, and I hit him."

"Technically, I gave you forged evidence."

"And technically," he argued back, "he gave you forged evidence to give to me. Ergo, he gave me forged evidence." His face fell. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Trucy waved her hand. "Nothing, nothing. Just making idle connections is all." Apollo nodded, running a hand through his hair, giving Trucy time to think. Back then, something about getting hit had made her daddy smile. He wasn't proud of it, she doesn't think – it must have been Apollo's intensity. It was a test more than anything else. Apollo wasn't willing to bend his morals to win a case, and he wasn't going to accept that it was the right thing to do just because it was something Phoenix Wright did, even if it didn't change his opinion of her father. But today, when Apollo hit him and left, her daddy looked… defeated. She hadn't seen him look so devastated in a long time, and Apollo's anger was tinged with some other feeling she didn't know how to place.

_Must be sexual tension_, she thought to herself. She made a mental note to start planning the release of said tension as soon as she got home.

"I guess I should go and talk to Mr. Wright now." Apollo didn't look happy by his own suggestion; he must have been at a loss for what else to do. I've got stuff to pick up at the Agency anyway, and I've got to walk you back.

Trucy didn't point out that she was more than capable of walking herself back to the Agency, as Apollo might have taken that as permission to leave without at least saying goodbye to her daddy.

The two were tense and awkward. Trucy sat on the piano bench in between the two couches, watching as Apollo glared and her daddy sheepishly tugged at loose threads from the fabric on which he was seated. Apollo leaned back, arms folded, and sighed. He looked about ready to give in, but Phoenix spoke up first.

"I'm sorry for lying to you," he said. He looked like he'd been crying. Trucy was old enough to know that boys did, in fact, cry, but she'd never seen her father do it before.

"I'm sorry for going off the deep end," Apollo replied. "I'm just frustrated. I don't know why she'd want to keep this from us –"

"I don't know –"

"I didn't expect you to have an answer," Apollo snapped. Phoenix hung his head, palms raised outward in surrender. "Sorry," Apollo sighed again. "Is there any way to contact her?"

Phoenix rubbed his hands together, not quite facing Apollo. "I don't have her information. But if that's what you want, then I'm sure I could…find a way." Phoenix lifted his eyes to meet Apollo's. The latter had never seen someone look so devastated, especially over something that had virtually no effect on them personally.

Apollo closed his eyes, steadying his breaths. "No," he said finally. "She left me without anything, no clues or traces or relatives. She clearly didn't want me to find out about Trucy. I don't know why, and I don't care. That's not much of a mother. That's not the kind of family I want." When he opened his eyes, Phoenix was facing him more directly. He still looked sad, and Apollo had to wonder if his response to the situation had meant more to Phoenix than he'd thought it would. "Besides," he said, breaking eye contact. "You and Trucy – and Athena now too, I guess – you're my family. And I'd rather have the kind of family you choose, than someone related by blood who doesn't want me."

Trucy smiled, glad he'd finally reached the conclusion she'd been drawing him towards. Not as romantic as she'd have liked, perhaps, but nonetheless the right train of thought. She leapt from her perch on the piano bench to give Apollo a hug, but was beaten to it by her father. At least both men were standing this time.

Trucy wandered off to get ready for bed, as it was now quite late, and the emotional talk had worn her out more than she'd expected. She peeked out from around her door, anxious to see how things were progressing. To her dismay, there was no kissing, although both were clearly much happier than they had been before. She held her breath, trying to hear what they were saying.

Apollo was looking at his wrist now, free hand running through his hair. "Shit," he hissed. "I gotta get back. Could you say good night to Trucy for me?"

"What are we, the Waltons?" Phoenix joked. Apollo glared mockingly, and Phoenix laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'll make sure your sister knows you want her to do her homework, eat her vegetables, all that good stuff."

Apollo shook his head. "Okay, number one, I did not say any of that. And second – I don't think it's ever going to stop being weird to me. Trucy being my sister. I mean – not weird in a bad way!" His hands were on his hips, his eyes searching the floor. The way he normally looked when thinking. In an odd way, it's like she's always been my sister. You know, since I met her."

"Well, you know, we're all destined to be one big happy family. Except with real family ties, not metaphors."

Apollo looked horrified. "Please, for the love of god, do not expect me to start calling you daddy."

Trucy bit her lip. Her father's eyes were half-lidded, the way they always got when he'd thought of something witty. She was sure, though, that she'd read somewhere that these were called 'bedroom eyes.' "Not unless that's what you're into, Apollo," he countered.

Apollo blushed and stammered. Trucy did a victory punch from where she stood, even though she knew Apollo's bashful manner wouldn't lead to any more interesting encounters. "I – uh," Apollo battered. "Ah – G-goodnight, Mr. Wright."

"Oh, going back to formalities, are we?" Phoenix teased.

Apollo's face heated up even further. "I hate you," he said without venom.

Phoenix laughed. "I love you too, sweetheart. Good night, Polly!"


	2. Chapter 2

Trucy sat cross-legged on the couch. It was a Saturday, and all the attorneys of the Wright Anything Agency were out on some sort of wild goose chase or other. She had six or so sheets of construction paper in her lap, serving as a steady writing service for her ballpoint pen and the small paper slips she'd cut up for just this occasion. Now that she was alone in the office, she could really take the time to put together her plan.

It was going to require reinforcements. She'd been trying on her own to convince her daddy to have Apollo over more often, under the guise that she wanted to get to know her brother better. Her daddy didn't believe it, clearly, but didn't object when Trucy invited him over herself. Apollo didn't really have anywhere else to be, so most of the time he accepted.

And on his front – well, Trucy had never met someone quite as stubborn as Apollo. When he wasn't ignoring her suggestions, he was shooting them down.

"You should get those flowers," she suggested at the shop. Her father had broken his leg attempting to chase down a runaway client. It wasn't too bad, but social custom indicated that this was the polite thing to do.

"Why those flowers, Trucy? Aren't they a little…ostentatious?" Apollo frowned at them. The real concern (expense) went unspoken.

Trucy flitted her hand about. "Sure, they may be a little more eccentric than the other lovely bouquets, but they mean true love, Polly." She leaned over excitedly, balancing on her toes.

Apollo rolled his eyes. "He has a broken leg, Trucy. He's not dying of cancer. Besides, isn't that a little inappropriate?"

Trucy sighed. Apollo just didn't understand dramatic flair. "Details, Polly, details! And what makes it so inappropriate? Because daddy's your boss?"

"For one," Apollo allowed. "But also because –" he looked around, waiting until the jostling of customers had calmed down. "Trucy, it's a little weird for you to be trying to hook up your half-brother with your adopted father."

"_Adopted_," she emphasized. "There's nothing weird about that!" Apollo frowned and ignored her logic. In fact, he'd ignored all the other attempts she'd made since then as well. It had been over two months since that event, and she'd grown from that clumsy attempt. In fact, she was hoping Apollo had forgotten about it entirely.

As for attempts on Phoenix – talking to her dad about romance was a no-go. Phoenix Wright may be brilliant in the courtroom, but when it came to love it would appear he was completely hopeless. He would need help in the worst kind worst kind of way if he didn't want to be alone forever.

But alas, Trucy was only one girl. She couldn't possibly do it alone. That's why she had the list by her elbow and the paper slips in her lap. She'd nearly finished filling them all out with an attention-grabbing title: "Operation Just Wright is ago!" The people she was sending them to would get it. Now all she had to do was keep them from –

"Trucy? What are you doing?" Trucy stilled her pen in midair, her worst fear being realized. She didn't even have time to finish her sentence – the one that foretold this very event! "What's with all these slips of paper?"

Trucy gasped, eyes flying to the window. The wind must have blown a few slips away while she was locked in her reverie. Trucy could swear she saw the scene in slow motion: before even warning him away from the slips or making an attempt to hide them, Apollo had kneeled down to pick one up from its spot on the ground. His eyes grazed over it, squinting in order to read Trucy's untidy handwriting.

Trucy bit her lip as she watched him read, hoping Apollo wouldn't read too much into the little slip of paper he had captured between his fingers

To her immense relief, Apollo only groaned. "'Operation Just Wright'? I don't even want to know what you're doing, Trucy – any interest I had was alleviated by that pun." Apollo dropped the little slip on the desk, one hand shoved into his vest pocket. "Anyway, I just came by to grab my suit jacket. It's getting pretty cold outside." Apollo avoided her gaze, blushing as he looked away. She couldn't pinpoint why, but he seemed a little tense. Trucy knew him well enough by now to know that he was lying, but pointing it out would only make him irritated and he'd deny it.

It was probably best to act like she didn't notice anything was up. "Oh? But you never wear your suit jacket. Even when it is cold outside."

Apollo shrugged. "Yeah, well – m-might as well give it a try." He smoothed down his hair. "Need anything from the store? I can always swing by before I come back."

"No thanks, mommy," Trucy said. She was chewing on the end of her pen, heart racing in the hopes that Apollo wouldn't pick up on the slip.

Just her luck. Apollo was on a roll today. "What did you just call me?"

"Polly," she said, looking up. "You know, like I always call you?"

Apollo frowned, but let it go. With his suit jacket over his shoulder, Apollo skittered out.

Trucy sighed, surveying her list. She just hoped everyone could make it to the meeting.

"I have to admit, I'm a little confused as to the nature of this meeting," the speaker raised the dainty teacup to his lips, blowing air over the surface to cool it down. Trucy squirmed in her seat. She'd only met with Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth once or twice, and she'd never been alone with him. She wasn't exactly afraid of him, but he wasn't as open as Polly or her daddy. She wasn't so sure how to communicate with the man.

She felt much the same about Prosecutor Blackquill, seated between Athena and Prosecutor Gavin on the opposite couch. Maya sat next to Trucy, and next to Maya was Pearl. Trucy was glad that no one else had arrived – she wasn't sure where she'd put them all.

Maya rubbed her hands together. "I think Trucy is trying her hand at a little matchmaking."

Edgeworth sighed. "I was afraid of that," he said, setting his teacup in his saucer and his saucer down on the table. "And would I be correct in the assumption –" he shared a brief glance with Maya, but he lacked her enthusiasm for the exercise, "- that the two individuals whom you intend to engage in this attempt are your father, Phoenix Wright, and your half-brother, Apollo Justice?"

Trucy nodded, excited. Before Edgeworth could begin on a lecture about how her plan would inevitably fail, and how the very idea was a mass invasion of her father and brother's privacy, Klavier Gavin spoke up. "I think it's a sher gut Idee, Fraulein," he snapped a finger. "I don't know about Herr Wright, but Herr Forehead could use a good –"

There was the sound of sword being drawn, and Trucy gave herself whiplash trying to find the source of the noise. Her best guess was that it came from Simon Blackquill, who was glaring daggers at Klavier. Klavier didn't seem put off in the least, but he refrained from finishing his sentence. "Please, let us not discuss the private lives of Wright and Justice-dono," Blackquill looked to Trucy and nodded. "However, I do agree with Prosecutor Gavin. It would be most beneficial for both men to find some peace of mind outside of the courtroom."

"Just one question," Athena piped up. "Why Apollo? Or why Mr. Wright? Just –" She started to run her fingers through her long ponytail in anxiety. "Why those two together?"

Trucy stopped to think about this for a moment, because if she was really going to follow through this plan, she should know the answer to this. It was the big question, really. Perhaps she should have prepared it on a cue card.

"Well," she began. "There are a lot of things I could say, like about the things they have in common. But I think in the end, that doesn't really matter. There's a lot more that goes into relationships than just having things in common. You've got to be able to communicate. You've got to understand one another, and I can't think of a person who knows my half-brother better than – well, my daddy. And Apollo –he hasn't left yet. He's sort of the only stable factor we've had since daddy adopted me. There are so many times he could have left, when someone else would have, and he hasn't. Not really, anyway. They just have so much unending faith in each other, I know that, no matter what happens, they'll always be there for one another."

The room was quiet, almost uncomfortably so. Trucy looked at the people around her, most of whom had the look of the absolutely heartwarmed.

Maya clapped her hands together. "Okay Trucy, so where do we start?"

The Chief Prosecutor still wasn't entirely sure that any of this was a good idea. Trucy's plan wasn't elaborate: some subliminal messaging, a few jealousy scares, maybe a bit of emotional manipulation, and then some soft suggestion. It wasn't like any of these tactics were things they were inept at, and the most complicated maneuver involved getting Wright to believe he'd been hearing Apollo's name everywhere. After all, the name wasn't so easy to slip into everyday conversation. Not unless you were talking about the attorney himself. But still, these sorts of underhanded tactics belonged on a battleground or in a courtroom – not in the real world when dealing with one's father and brother.

"So how has your junior partner been fairing since the murder of his friend?" Wright was pacing around his office, trying to work something up for the case he had tomorrow. It wouldn't be too difficult – no matter which Payne brother he was up against, both were useless – but he was a worrywart.

Phoenix turned to Edgeworth, eyebrows raised. "Uh, he's doing better, I think? You could just ask him yourself, Edgeworth."

"Ah," he nodded, sipping his tea and trying to appear disinterested in the situation. "I suppose I could have, but I'm rather unsure how to broach subjects with him. I find it…difficult to talk to him at times, don't you?"

Wright's surprise had turned to confusion. "What? No, Polly – Apollo's pretty easy to get along with."

Edgeworth shrugged. "Perhaps it's just me, then." He waited for Wright to head back to the bookshelf, before crossing that item off his list. He'd been trying at subtlety the whole afternoon (the likelihood any of the rest of them would pull it off was quite low), but Trucy was absolutely correct about her father. The man was dense as a marsh fog.

Miles tapped the pen against his lips. The next maneuver would be tricky, as it was not his usual style of conversation. "I don't suppose you know if he's seeing Klavier Gavin, socially?"

That certainly triggered a reaction. Wright's back snapped into place, muscles stiffening. It was a damn good thing he didn't play poker with his back turned. "No, I don't know. What makes you ask?"

Edgeworth sighed, crossing his arms. He needed to get the amusement out of his system before his friend turned around and realized there was an ulterior motive to this interrogation. "Well, I have seen the way Gavin looks at him. You would think Apollo was the – how did he put it? 'Sex god of the law.'"

Wright choked on his own breath. "What?" he snapped, turning to face Edgeworth fully. "Who said that about who? Er, whom? Whatever, who said it?!"

Edgeworth ignored the panic, shaking his head. "I'd never thought it possible for Klavier to settle. Maybe it's just something about Apollo." Edgeworth tapped his forehead, thinking. "Come to think of it, Kristoph was rather fixated on him as well, wasn't he?"

Edgeworth wasn't sure how he managed to keep it together. Wright's reaction to his provocations was hysterical. The man didn't even say goodbye, running out the door with cell phone in hand. He sent a quick e-mail to Trucy:

_Ms Wright,_

_I've completed my part. I believe Athena is up next on his front._

_M. Edgeworth_

"So, Apollo. You never told me."

"Told you what, Klavier?"

Apollo didn't know why Klavier was perched on the edge of his desk, posing obscure questions about life and love to him while he tried to finish up paperwork from his latest case. He didn't even know why Klavier was in the office to begin with, but it didn't really matter. Klavier was going to do whatever he wanted to do, and challenging him to give an answer was just letting him win.

"Well," Klavier brushed his hair back with two fingers, posing like he normally did in a courtroom. Apollo wondered just how much that phrase "the world's a stage" applied to Klavier and his own life philosophy. "What it's like to work with the state's hottest defense attorney."

Apollo was a little thrown off. The beginning of that question – er, request – was not all that unusual for Klavier. He'd started off with it to Ema before, but it had ended with "prosecuting attorney," obviously trying to indicate himself. Ema's reply had been a flat "I'll let you know when Prosecutor Edgeworth gets back to the country."

He recovered from his shock rather quickly. "I knew you liked Athena!" he belted.

Klavier stumbled off of the desk. "Was? Are you in your right mind, Herr Forehead?"

Apollo smirked, placing his hands on his hips. Normally, given the people he worked with, he avoided puns as much as possible. But now, it was just Klavier. He was going to take any chance he had to get the upper hand. "Well, I am in the office, Mr. Gavin. So I'd say yes: I _am_ in my **Wright** mind."

Klavier sighed deeply, shaking his head, and muttered an insult in German. "I was not talking about Fraulein Cykes. And if you ever say that in front of Prosecutor Blackquill," Klavier pointed menacingly at Apollo, looking every bit like Kristoph, "I swear to Gott I will break my brother out of jail and set him specifically on a course for you, ja?"

Apollo waved his hand dismissively. "Whatever you say, Klavier." But now Apollo really was confused. "Wait, if you weren't talking about Athena – and clearly, you weren't talking about yourself, because you're not in defense – I don't think you were talking about me –"

"Meine Goethe! I was talking about Herr Wright, you dummkopf."

"Oh." Apollo wasn't sure where to look. For some odd reason, Klavier was agitated. "Well, it's – okay? I guess? It's not quite what I thought it would be – I mean, it wasn't, not when I first started working here –" Apollo knew he was babbling, could feel his cheeks heating up. _I must look ridiculous_, he thought to himself. "But it-it's gotten better, you know?" He smoothed down his hair nervously.

Whatever had been bothering Klavier, clearly he had gotten over it. "Mmmm, but is it ever difficult?"

"Difficult?"

Klavier had re-seated himself on the top of the couch, elbow on one thigh, propping up his hand and thereby his chin. "Ja. You know, Herr Wright is rather dreamy. I imagine it gets a little…_hard_, sometimes."

Despite what everyone seemed to think about him, Apollo was not a prude. This just was not the sort of conversation he wanted to be having with Klavier, in this office, when anyone could walk in at any time.

Although really, this wasn't the type of conversation he wanted to have with Klavier. Period.

"Mr. Wright is very attractive –"

"Hasn't he told you to call him Phoenix yet?" Klavier was leaning close into Apollo's space, smiling blankly.

Apollo really didn't like the look of it. "I really don't like the direction this conversation is going –"

"Klavier." Apollo jolted up from his seat. He should really remember to lock the door. Phoenix – Mr. Wright – had said it was a perfectly safe neighborhood, but the visage of Simon Blackquill standing in a darkening doorway, booming voice shaking Apollo and Klavier out of their conversation, was enough to fuel at least a thousand more jump scares. "The Chief Prosecutor wants to see you in his office." He inclined his head and glared, eyes flashing. Apollo silently thanked him for the interruption. It might have startled him, but anything was better than having to continue this bizarre conversation with Klavier.

Klavier pouted. "I was merely asking after his relationship with Herr Wright."

Blackquill's frown deepened – if that was at all possible. "What Justice-dono and his boyfriend do behind closed doors –" Apollo choked on his own spit and started coughing. Out of his eyesight, Klavier and Blackquill exchanged a smirk. "Is none of our business."

"Ah well," Klavier turned to leave, waving behind him. "Have a lovely day, Herr Justice!"

Apollo just barely managed to nod, black spots dancing in front of his vision from the force of his fit. "Mr. Wright – my _what?!_"

Trucy got home from school, feeling rather excited. She'd gotten quick notes from Prosecutors Edgeworth, Gavin, and Blackquill. Things seemed to be going according to the plan she'd created.

When she got into the office, Athena and Juniper were already making their move.

"Is this casual enough?" Juniper worried. She'd let her hair out, and was wearing nice jeans and a babydoll top.

"I wouldn't – Trucy!" Her daddy smiled brightly at her. "You see, I'm not very adept at girl talk. But I'm sure Trucy could help you."

"Very nice," Trucy said, bouncing on her heels. "So what's the special occasion? Got a hot date coming up?"

Juniper blushed, hiding behind her hand. "Well, yes, sort of."

"Who with?" she drew out. Despite her father's apparent disinterest, she could tell he was listening.

"Uhm," from out of nowhere, Juniper produced her knitting – a scarf, adorned with hearts. "A-Apollo…"

_Gotcha_, Trucy thought. Her daddy turned around quick enough to give himself whiplash. "What?"

"Yeah, that's why I was asking, Mr. Wright," she looked up shyly. "I figured you'd know better than anyone, what Apollo might like."

_Juniper's much better at this than I thought she'd be_. "Well for what it's worth," Trucy offered, "I think you look cute."

"Thanks, Trucy!" she turned to Athena. "Okay, so now…?"

"So now I take you shopping for perfume!" she smiled brightly. "I know just what guys like," she winked. Trucy frowned, not really sure how to feel about that particular embellishment.

Phoenix sighed as the girls ran out the door. "Speaking of dates," he said, "I've got to get ready for mine."

"You have a date?" Trucy shouted.

"Man," Phoenix joked. "Now we know you and Polly are related – you have his Chords of Steel!" he laughed at himself, but Trucy was in no mood to play along.

"I'm being serious, daddy – what do you mean, you have a date?"

"It does happen sometimes, you know," he frowned. "I thought you wanted me to start dating?"

"Yeah, well," she frowned. "How do I know I'm gonna like 'em?" _Nice save, Trucy_.

"Well, I suppose I don't know for sure. But I have a feeling you will." He'd gone back into his room to change. Trucy furiously texted a mass message to the members of her little group, urging them to meet at the office as soon as possible. This was an emergency.

When her daddy emerged, he was looking better than she'd seen him in a long time. He was still wearing a suit, but it was a darker blue. "How do I look?" he asked.

She frowned, but tried to hide the majority of her disappointment. "You look great, daddy," she said.

"Good." He actually looked nervous about this, and Trucy couldn't help but think, bitterly, that he wouldn't be nervous if he was with Apollo.

"So when do I get to meet…?" She'd purposefully left the ending open, so that he could supply a name.

He didn't take the bait. "Soon, Truce. I promise." He kissed her on the forehead, wished her luck ("whoops! I meant 'break a leg!") on her show, and headed out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Phoenix didn't want to have to run all the way to his date's apartment, but Trucy had made it impossible for him to leave on time. Just as he had exited, she ran back out after him and demanded he tell her what he had planned. He didn't go into too much detail, just a vague summary - "Oh, you know, dinner, a walk..." and started off again. Trucy kept fidgeting with his outfit, and it was only when he moodily reminded her that she had a show to prepare for that she let him be. For some reason, Trucy did not want her father going out on this date.

_And she doesn't even know who it's with_, he mused. _Or what if she does, and that's why she's so upset?_

He huffed as he finally reached the building, slowing his run to a fast walk. His shoes were killing his feet and he'd have wicked blisters in the morning, but he didn't let that slow him down. The last thing he wanted was for the other ma to think he was being stood up, especially on the first date.

Well, okay, not the first date, but it was their first date in a long while. It had taken way too long for Phoenix to work up the nerve to ask them in the first place, and then recent events had kept them too busy, downtime a distant memory. Phoenix supposed he could have taken him to one of Trucy's shows, but he was fairly certain that wouldn't have counted as a date. Besides, if Trucy found out -

"Phoenix! I was just getting ready to come find you, actually. I got a panicked call from Trucy. Something about you having a date?" Phoenix returned the sarcastic half-smile, and took a minute to appreciate the image before him. Apollo always looked nice, but he'd also dressed up a little more for the occasion. Although his shirt's collar wasn't as high, it was a nice deep red that complemented his skin tone. Everything else was black.

"Really now? And what did you tell her?" He was trying to be smooth, remain calm, but something about Apollo's smirk made his chest do backflips. It wasn't any different than the one he nearly always wore, except that this time, it was for him and him only. _God, that reminds me of a song_, he thought. He tried to get the song out of his head so that the lyrics wouldn't leave his mouth, and somehow wound up tripping over his own two feet, crashing into Apollo.

It was like a bad joke. Their lips were now pressed together, rather firmly, both staring at each other in what would probably be a comical way, to an outside viewer. Apollo was the first to break the awkwardness, eyes closing and pressing back. Nick closed his eyes, shrugging mentally. If Apollo could just go with it, then so could he. It wasn't like this was their first kiss. Or, uhm, was it?

Whatever the case, Apollo gently pushed him back and smiled again. "I told her that it's none of her business, and then I hung up on her."

"Y-you hung up on her?" _Great Nick. First the stuttering, now we're repeating him? You're not eleven_. "That was rather rude of you."

Apollo shrugged and shook his head. He turned to exit the apartment, but not before sneaking his hand over to Phoenix's. Apollo was cool and nonchalant, not even looking over to where their fingers were now intertwined. Phoenix, on the other hand, was afraid he might vomit up his heart if he tried to talk too soon. "She's my sister," Apollo responded. Phoenix had almost completely forgotten that they had been, in fact, holding a conversation. "I think she'll get over it."

The place they were headed actually called for them to double-back past the office, wasting a good ten minutes. The alternative was that Apollo could have come by the office instead, but Nick wanted to do everything in his power to keep Trucy from figuring them out. He wasn't embarrassed to be seen with Apollo, like the younger man had teased back when Phoenix first asked (although the teasing was also tinted with a hint of actual worry, something Phoenix wanted to abate but didn't know how). The problem lay in not knowing how to tell Trucy. Apollo was eleven years his junior, and her half-brother besides. She might find it strange or humiliating to know about the two of them, and Phoenix wanted to avoid as much grief as he could for as long as possible. The other factor was simply that Phoenix wanted to keep the knowledge to himself. Having others know, being able to show it in public - that was all great. But something about the secrecy made it feel more intimate. Like if they came out about it, their relationship wouldn't just be theirs anymore.

"What are you thinking about?" Phoenix looked down to Apollo, still smiling at him. "Oh, just about...things."

Apollo squeezed his hand. Nick reciprocated. "What kinds of things?"

"Just - how I like having you to myself. Not having to share this with anybody."

Apollo frowned, looking away. "I know," he said softly. "Me too. But eventually, people are going to know. They're going to figure something out, and then it'll be out, and -"

"Hey," Phoenix stopped, pulling Apollo's hand. Apollo wouldn't meet his gaze. "Look, Polly - I'm not having doubts, okay?" Apollo shrugged, trying to hide his insecurity on the subject. "I wanted to wait so I could be sure of how I felt about you. I'm not embarrassed of this, but I am selfish about it. It's our relationship. I don't want to listen to people judge us or make fun of us. I don't want to hear those accusations of favoritism or anything, and we both know that'll happen the minute we become public."

Apollo nodded, but still didn't look up. Phoenix opened his mouth, hoping something less cynical would follow. He couldn't think of anything to make up for the pool of sorrow he'd just issued, so he settled for tilting Apollo's chin up and kissing him softly.

Phoenix had once been told that girls were better kissers than boys. He didn't think it was possible for that to be true; Apollo identified as a guy, and he was the best kissing experience Phoenix had ever had. His lips were soft and teasing, not too dry or wet. The one experience did have with a girl was not worth remembering - there was way too much saliva involved, and she didn't make his chest contract or pulse race the way Apollo did.

Apollo pushed himself back. "Someone might see," he warned. He licked his lips and tried to work elsewhere.

"Apollo -"

Apollo waved his hand dismissively. "I understand. I do, really. Some prosecutors will do absolutely anything to win a case." Phoenix didn't have to look at his face or ask to know that they were on the same page.

Apollo tugged Nick's jacket sleeve, urging him to continue on. Phoenix stuck a free hand in his pocket, and promptly froze again. Apollo sighed in mock frustration. "It's not going to be much of a secret relationship if we keep sucking face on the street, you know."

Phoenix blushed. "That's not it. It's - my wallet - where -"

"It's okay, Nick. I can pay for -"

"No." Phoenix was pointing at him. "You paid last time -"

"That was four months ago!" Apollo laughed. "I have had an income since then."

"I know," Phoenix snapped, avoiding his date's eyes. His cheeks were heating up. "It's just - I wanted to -urgh -"

"You wanted to buy alcohol?" Phoenix could have rolled his eyes at the obvious open out, but it was an easy cover to take to hide the vulnerability he was feeling. He nodded in lieu of a response, still patting down his suit. "Do you need me to help you feel yourself up?"

"Apollo!" The younger man laughed at Phoenix's reaction. "This is serious, I have lots of important things in my wallet -" Apollo's eyebrows raised. "Things that are important to everyday life," he growled, before Apollo could make some sort of joke about condoms (although he had one of those in his wallet, too).

"You wanna head back?" Apollo asked. Phoenix looked up from his pat-down to see his companion was genuine.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I think I better, before Trucy finds something else to make me late.

* * *

"This is a major problem, guys. Did any of you know about this?" Trucy was stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the room of adults before her. Athena looked properly ashamed of her self, but no one else seemed bothered. "He's going on a date, and not one of you knew about it? He must have told someone!"

"Maybe he told Apollo?" Juniper suggested.

"That's an idea!" Athena clapped her hands together. "Have you called him yet?"

"Yes," Trucy snapped. "I have. He's not bothered! At all!" Trucy stomped her foot, then gasped. "What if he has a date too?"

"That could be," Klavier mused. "I did see him out the other day, shopping for - things," Klavier stopped, flipping his hair back. He didn't look like he was about to offer up more information, but he was smirking to himself.

Trucy growled. "This is such a nightmare. What are we going to do?"

"'We,' Trucy?" Edgeworth frowned. "I think we've all done our part, here. I'm not sure there's much else we can do."

Trucy frowned, resting her forehead on her pointer finger as she thought. In this way - the nerves, the thinking, the frustration - she mirrored her brother almost exactly, Edgeworth thought. "There has to be something else, and I don't care how long it takes for me to think of it." She sat herself down on the piano bench, and looked at each member of this ragtag club in turn. "So, who's got any ideas?"

"Ideas for what?" Edgeworth almost dropped his teacup, but managed to maintain the facade of aloofness through Phoenix's entrance. His companions were not so lucky - Ms Cykes, seated next to him, looked comical, her eyes bugging out and mouth gaping widely.

"Mr. Wright!" she squeaked, "We, uhm, we were just thinking about -"

"A new theme for Trucy's show," Edgeworth inserted. Athena nodded eagerly. "We decided to gather here beforehand, and do a little catching up."

Wright wasn't paying much attention, searching the counter for his wallet. "Oh?" he asked. "Well, then. Break a leg, honey. Enjoy the show, everyone!" he waved goodbye, gaze absentminded. Edgeworth frowned, wondering who was so special they took Phoeix's mind off his daughter.

"Thanks, Mr. Edgeworth," Trucy breathed. "That was close." She looked out to the other members. "Now, quickly, before daddy figures out it's all a ruse!"

* * *

Phoenix wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs and hoped his anxiety wasn't too apparent. He needn't have worried; underneath the table, Apollo's fingers were twisting in knots as he tried to think of something to say.

_Oh for the love of god, he's your boss! Your friend! The adoptive father of your half-sister! What's there to be nervous about?_ Apollo asked himself. This line of questioning didn't help. He knew the truth: If things didn't go well, now or in the future, life would be unbearable. He'd lose his job, his friends, the only family he'd ever known -

"Apollo, stop it. You're making the whole table shake." Apollo froze, raising his hands to rest on the table. He hadn't realized that his legs were jumping so much. He closed his eyes, tried to take a deep breath, and nearly jumped back when Nick's hand grabbed his own. "Don't worry, I won't bite."

Apollo let his eyes open, wanting to observe his partner. The lack of the obvious come-on ("unless you're into that") caught his attention. His bracelet was a little tight, but he'd been assuming that was just from his own fear. Now that he was observing Phoenix, he knew he was not the only one feeling wound up.

He sighed. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I was fine earlier, I guess just... being here, in a restaurant, with you, makes this whole thing all the more real."

Phoenix frowned, squeezing the fingers. "Polly, if you're not ready - if you don't want this, we can -"

"I'm fine!" Apollo insisted. "Really! I - I want this. I'm just - I don't want to mess this up and ruin everything."

"You won't," Phoenix whispered. He wanted to lean in and kiss Apollo, but was wary of the candle on the table. Knowing his luck, he'd catch the whole restaurant on fire. Instead, he relaxed back and watched Apollo do the same. "Why didn't you -" Phoenix gestured toward his forehead, "Do the thing with your hair?"

Apollo blushed. "Oh, I, er, thought it...might have looked dumb?"

Phoenix shook his head. "You just don't really look like you. I mean, if you like it like that, it's fine! Just don't change on my account, okay?"

Apollo fidgeted for a minute before standing up. "I'm, uhm -"

Phoenix laughed. "Go ahead, kid."

It was like clockwork, in a way. Apollo reached the bathroom, and a waiter came over at once. "What would you like to drink on this fine evening, sir?"

"Uh," Phoenix didn't drink very often, as he rarely had occasion to. When he did drink, it was normally just beer. "What do you recommend?"

"Alcohol," the man replied bluntly. "You know, it's very odd of you to bring your son here," he continued, reaching over Phoenix for the wine list. Phoenix tried to duck and give the man more room, but in his haste the chair on which he was seated tipped over. Nick grabbed the table for balance, but his fingers slipped on the table cloth and he fell anyway. The waiter swore, and Phoenix looked up only to feel his eyes widen in horror. His first-date fear had come true: the candle had fallen onto the wooden table, which was now on fire.

"Sir!" Another waiter had run over in an attempt to help. "Sir, what have you done?" the other man barked.

Phoenix tried to knock the chair away with his feet so that he could stand up and explain himself, but instead he only managed to kick the chair into one of the waiters. "Sir!" whichever man it was shouted.

He didn't get to finish his thought, as a hand landed on Phoenix's shoulder, supporting him and helping him up. "Come on," Apollo hissed in his ear. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

"So, how did you manage to set the table on fire?"

Phoenix shook his head. "I honestly have no idea. It all happened so fast." Apollo laughed, shaking his head. His tie and vest were in one hand - the one that wasn't holding Phoenix's left. They were taking their time now, no longer rushing to make a reservation of some sort.

"I feel bad," Phoenix admitted. "I mean, I like Guy and all - his noodles are great! - but I really wanted to do something special, you know?"

Apollo shrugged. "I feel bad too. You went to all that trouble to do something nice for me, and things just went so spectacularly wrong."

"Yeah," Phoenix sighed in reply. "How did you get all wet anyway?" The top button of the man's shirt had come and stayed undone, and Phoenix was trying not to stare at the exposed skin.

Apollo blushed a little - but then, he blushed at everything. Phoenix idly wondered how far down the blush went. "I - I don't really know either. I just - I was trying to fix my hair, and the sink just sort of exploded."

Phoenix squeezed his hand. "We're a real mess, the two of us, aren't we Polly?"

They walked along in comfortable silence until they reached Phoenix's apartment-slash-office. Phoenix paused outside of it, trying to catch Apollo's eyes. The younger man was staring at the building as thought it were some internal demon to be met and conquered.

Phoenix cleared his throat. "So," he prompted. "Do you...want to come in?"

Apollo frowned. "Well, I'm kind of wet. Shouldn't I change? Before - I mean, whatever?"

"Apollo, you don't have to come in if you don't want to. I mean, I know the date was pretty short, but it was one hell of a train wreck. If you'd rather, we don't have to go on another date at all -"

"We don't?" he sounded hopeful. Phoenix felt his stomach drop, a million thoughts all running through his head. _How could I get things so colossally wrong?_

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Apollo shouted. "I mean - dammit, we've known each other for how long now? We already hang out all the time, and there's no one else I'd rather be with. We already know practically everything about each other. You've seen me at my worst and I'm pretty sure I've seen you at yours. So can we just cut the bullshit?"

Phoenix was a little taken aback by this diatribe. "Yeah, I guess?"

"Fine, then we're agreed. We're together. You don't have to impress me, or try to woo me, or whatever. I already like you, you like me, and that's all that matters, right?"

"Right," Phoenix agreed. His nerves were mostly abated, but he was still unsure on one aspect. "So, do you want to -"

"Yes," Apollo interrupted. "I want to come in." His eyes were narrowed, intense, and something dark and suffocated in Phoenix's stomach started to breathe again. Phoenix nodded, leading the other lawyer across the street. He was jittery, trying to find the correct keys. It didn't help that he could feel Apollo's eyes moving over him. The attention was definitely flattering, but it was also distracting.

When Phoenix finally managed to get the door open, he wasn't given an opportunity to say or do anything else. Apollo had preceded him into the building, and pushed him up against the door. It was ridiculous - for someone as naturally on-edge as Apollo was, he was unnaturally smooth with lips running all over Phoenix's. His knees were nearly weak, it was all perfect - except for the doorknob digging into his back.

He pushed off the door, crowding Apollo against a wall. The younger man didn't cower down, instead wrapping his arms around Phoenix's neck. Apollo's tongue slipped between his lips, and Phoenix smiled against him. "Oh, is that all you want?" he teased.

"No, but -" a short kiss to the left corner of his mouth - "it is -" a short kiss to the right corner of his mouth - "a rather pressing -" one to the middle - "matter," And this one was longer, Apollo's teeth gently scraping his bottom lip. Apollo pulled away and breathed, "Wouldn't you say?"

Phoenix could hardly hear or think straight for the combined panting. "I - what?"

Apollo laughed, dragging Nick's head down so their lips could meet again. Nick slipped an arm behind Apollo's back and was trying to figure out the best way to lift and drag the kid into his bedroom when an alarmingly familiar voice spoke up. "I'm awfully sorry to disturb your dalliance, but -"

Apollo shrieked and attempted to push himself away from Phoenix, slamming his head against the wall in the process. He slid down to the floor, hands cradling the back of his head. Phoenix, for his part, turned to the room of unwelcome guests. "What are you all still doing here? I thought you left for Trucy's show an hour ago!"

Trucy didn't even have the decency to look ashamed of herself for her lie. She was practically vibrating in place, the smile she wore so big it must have been painful. "Oh my god, daddy! You were with Polly the whole time?"

Phoenix had extended a hand to help Apollo stand up. "Well, yeah."

"Why didn't you say something?" She rushed to hug her father, squeezing him tightly around the middle. "Oh daddy, I'm so happy!"

"You are?" Apollo asked. Trucy gasped, chiding herself for forgetting her manners. She rushed to Apollo's side too, giving him a strong hug. Apollo prayed to every god he'd ever heard of that his erection had gone down.

"Of course I am!" she squealed. "It's all I've been wanting for the longest time!"

"Oh, good," Apollo said sarcastically. "Now I don't have to get you magic gloves or anything for Christmas. I'll just suck face with your dad under the mistletoe."

"That would be a good addition," she said. She attempted to waggle her eyebrows, but the attempt at suggestiveness only made her look scary.

Apollo slapped his face. "We've made a terrible mistake, Nick," he said.

"Yeah," he mused. "We should have gone to your place."

* * *

Trucy eventually managed to convince them to forgive her, although Apollo took much more convincing than her daddy. She seemed to enjoy embarrassing the two of them by introducing them to everyone she knew. It wasn't that she introduced them as boyfriends - no, nearly everyone could see that. What threw them all off was by the specification of their relationship to her. Daddy and brother. Phoenix was a little surprised that Social Services hadn't shown up yet to take her away. That, or a mental hospital.

Trucy made good on Apollo's mistletoe idea, placing the sprigs all over the place. Apollo was mortified, insisting that it was far too much. Phoenix took it all in good stride, never letting an excuse to kiss his boyfriend go by.

"Doesn't it bother you? Just a little bit?" Apollo asked.

Phoenix shrugged. "Why would it?"

"She's making a photo album. She even has a picture of me from the morning after we - uhm," he blushed and squirmed. It was endearing and adorable, even if it was a little sad for a twenty-four year old. "Were intimate for the first time. I don't even know how she got into my apartment."

"She probably used the spare key." Apollo glared. "Yeah, okay, you've got a point. Her behavior is a little inappropriate. But what are we supposed to do? Find her a new couple to obsess over? Hook her up with someone?" Phoenix had been mostly joking, but Apollo was now tapping his lip in thought.

"Actually," he said slowly, "Do you know what Pearl Fey is up to these days?"


End file.
